New beginnings

Author: chanman Yatolila

Original post: https://pastebin.com/WgmiXvD6

Entry for the YC120 Pod and Planet Fiction Contest in the Other Things Just Make You Swear and Curse category.

hmm Im finally getting use to this chanman thought to himself after killing another low level pirate gang. “I’ve been at this for 2 days now, I want something bigger, Ill have to have a chat with that agent ” he said to himself as he landed “docking request accepted” said the voice on the radio. Well time to go he thought. The meeting place was at a bar at the state war Academy in Kisogo. As always chanman arrived early. He enjoyed this place, the area he was at was filled with both new pilots and vets alike and most were friendly. He enjoyed hearing the stories the older pilots shared, great big battles involving titans, carriers and other huge ships and learning about the corps who flew them. As he sat there daydreaming about the day he can fly one of those ships the agent dropped a folder on the table, “Oh agent Moras right on time as always” chanman said as she sat down.

“here’s the payment for the job, and the weapon upgrades will be sent to your hanger as always, we thank you for doing that job on such short notice as well so we threw in a little extra” she smiled “If you’re looking for more work we have a few smaller contracts we’ll be happy to give to you”

well its now or never chanman thought “well I was hoping for something a little bigger, I know im still a new pilot and all but I’m ready to prove myself, just please give me a chance.” he begged her.

“Mr chanman, you’re still a new pilot, we give people missions based on exp and you just don’t have enough. You haven't even died yet. you don’t even know what its like waking up after that, the feeling you get.. We just can’t send people to there deaths”. She replied

“please I’m begging you, I’m not asking to do anything to hard just maybe a step up from these weak one” he begged again

“Fine how about this, were doing a raid on a pirate base sometime in the near future, so were sending pilots out to hit there outposts and rally points to cause chaos so they can’t regroup and lunch a counter attack. This spot shouldn’t be to hard and it should only have a few ships but its in low sec so you need to be careful of other pilots” she said as she slid him a folder

”Thank you so much” chan replied “I won’t let you down” he said as he started running to his ship

                  Several hours later

Now arriving in Oinasiken, the ships nav computer informed him

Alright lets do this he thought to himself as he sent out his probes looking for the pirates rallypoint. His computer screen lit up as he scanned the area. Rally point alpha found 3 Frigate ships in the area.

“Well this won’t be to hard” he said out loud slowly approaching, my lasers should out range them he thought another cake walk man I wanted something harder too he sighed

“Computer set warp range to 15km, warp in 3,2,1, go” he yell as the ship set into warp drive. It only took him a second to land, 3 ships on radar lock the closest and keep range at 15km” he ordered as he he fired his 3 lasers at the closet ship. “well at least this job pays a lot better then the other one” he thought “this should, be over pretty quick its a shame these pirates never learn”

Just as one of the pirates went down 2 unknown ships popped up

Message incoming his screen flashed

“hello” the voice said “we’re almost sorry to kill you, as you seem a little lost newbie. No hard feelings but time to die, ”

End intermission

“no not like this” chan thought “there has to be something I can do”

Shields 50%

“no no no no, is there nothing I can do” he yelled

Shields offline hull now taking damage

As chanman sat there he started thinking how agent Moras was right “oh well” he said “nothing I can do about it now” he thought. As he looked outside the ship. “This really is a beautiful world” he said

hull damage now 50%

Just then a message came over the radio “sound the horde horn” as a horn started blowing

“what the hell is that” he said as 3 ships jumped in.

“hello fellow pilot, looks like you need some help” the voice said “since im in a good mood today ill help you out just this once” he laughed as the 3 of them easily destroyed one of the ships

“who are you” chan asked

“Im a member of Pandemic Horde” the voice replied “I just happened to be in the area cloaked, honestly, I’ve just always wanted to yell sound the horde horn while saving someone” he laughed” as the other ship flew out of range. “good luck” the pilot said as they left

After sitting there for what felt like forever chan still wasn’t sure what really just happened he finally set his destination back to Kisogo as he started flying back he wondered if all this was actually worth it

“I should just start mining” he thought “I’m sure that's a much safer way to make money”